Looking for wakeboard recommendations please

the_dude · Outlaw Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 201 City: Long Beach

Ok so first of all I've done a number of searches and have read the sticky a the top.

Having first wakeboarded over 10 years ago it pains me to be in noob land but I guess I am.

I moved to SoCal about 5 years ago and couldn't bring my boat with me so I really lost track of the sport. However, after just getting back from a 5 day houseboat trip I feel the need to wakeboard again.

I'm 6'4" and about 205 lbs. Before moving to SoCal I demoe'd a HL Belmont and really enjoyed it (was riding a HL direction board before). I've ridding off and on my friends HL 142 Project (road it all last week at the hoseboat) but it's always felt like a tank with no pop to me. I mostly ride behind a 70's jet boat but I can still w2w HS and used to inconsistently pull 3's and 180's on a kneeboard behind the same boat.

I've belonged to gaming and car forums for years and just never thought of reading up on lake activities until recently. 99.9% of the time I've been the best wakeboarder, skier, and kneeboarder in the boat (mostly cause I owned the boat) which isn't to say I'm good but I've had to be self taught. Reading a lot of the techniques on here has given me a lot to work on next time out and has upped my interest level immensely.

Goal if possible is for recommendations on some good used boards if they can be had reliably. I don't want to drop $500-700 down for a new board and then not find enough lake/bay time.

Thanks for reading my long post and let me know if more info would help you help me Smile

the_dude · Outlaw Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 201 City: Long Beach

Bump!

Wrong forum? Any great new boards that won't break the bank but can grow with?

Ck · Newbie Joined: 07 Jul 2008 Posts: 33

I dont really have much to help since i as well am looking for my first board. Id get a 140+ though and just look into 07 models. Big price cuts.

DangerWake · Newbie Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 5 City: Bay Area

Mr Lebowski, errr I mean The Dude, sorry...

Im 6'6" 205 so were similar height weight. First, Id like to say that Im no pro. I just started wakeboarding this year but I own my boat, little bayliner i/o, so Ive been riding a lot already this summer.

I bought a Hyperlite Logic 141 and, although I have no other board experience to compare this board to, I feel it rides very well and I do get nice pop. I would like to know if there are other tall guys like us on this board and what they ride but I havent seen any posts about tall riders. I thought maybe I shouldve got a longer board but after reading through the forums I think 141 is fine for us and its not gonna be so big that our avg sized friends cant use it. The HL Logic board is a great beginner/intermediate board, edges well, nice pop, 4 removeable fins, and didnt break the bank. You could pick one up on ebay with bindings for $250 or less. Just make sure you get XL bindings because I felt like my feet were gonna fall off after riding around in Standard bindings.

Wakeboard K-Fed · Posted: Jul 12, 2008 2:34 pm Post subject:

My friend jensen is 6'9 and he rides a CWB absolute 141 and he loves it so maybe talk to him cause he is tall and is good and likes his board so he may know somethings about boards for tall guys

DangerWake · Newbie Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 5 City: Bay Area

KFed, nice to know someone who's 6'9" is riding the same length board as I am. Also great to hear there are other freakishly tall riders out there that are good riders considering the higher center of gravity.

Youve been riding Folsom Lake this summer? I love trying new lakes but I was told the water at Folsom was really low right now so Ive been avoiding it. I work weekends so I ride during the week and was told when the water level is normal that Folsom is some of the best flat water and not very crowded during the week. Just wondering if I should give Folsom a shot this summer or where else NorCal riders are going.

the_dude · Outlaw Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 201 City: Long Beach

Well I was on the water at Folsom 3 weeks ago. Yes it is low. My favorite ramp, rattlesnake it out of the water and they are down to the lowest ramp at granite bay with 1 hour+ wait times to launch and retrieve a boat.

I've heard rumors of Folsom being projected to go so low that the entire lake will be limited to 5 mph before summer's end.

Back to wakeboards...

Yesterday I rode my cousin's O'brien Cartel 141 with the fin's removed and had a blast on it. The board feels super light on the water (and is one of the lighter boards) and was fast. Based on the speed I was suprised to find out later that it was a 3 stage rocker. Was really easy to do surface 180's and wake slides on. Based on all the reading I've done on here that board or the PS3 seems to be available for $4-5 bills. I might be back out on Folsom in two weeks so I might try and demo a board or two from Cope Mcpheaters (sp?) though I'll prolly only hit the water once so their demo program isn't that friendly.

Thanks for the replies so far.

the_dude · Outlaw Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 201 City: Long Beach

Oh hey Danger, if you want to travel for a lake Folsom isn't a great choice. I used to live 5 min's from Rattlesnake so I'd go for about 2-3 hours super early am or late at night and avoided the place on weekends. If you want to travel check out the east end of Lake Don Pedro (moccasin point) or Toulame (sp?) near there.

Do you ever go to Sonoma lake? I haven't been there in close to 10 years but I used to go there for camping trips and an occasional day trip. Was ok. Like any lake in the middle of the day smooth water was scarce.

Jensen · Posted: Jul 12, 2008 4:06 pm Post subject:

Wakeboard K-Fed, I'm not that freakishly tall! i'm 6'6! Mad

but yes, i love my absolute 141, Nice landings, but i hear the marius is even softer so i might give that a whirl.

DangerWake · Newbie Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 5 City: Bay Area

Thanks for the tip. Ive been riding mostly small reservoirs so far, woodward, modesto, turlock. I live near Tracy so theyre all about 45 minutes to an hour from me. The girl who cuts my hair had mentioned Don Pedro to me too. That'll be the next place I head and I really appreciate you pointing out specifically Moccasin and Tuolumne.

Ive been to berryessa and even clear lake, though theyre long drives for me, but not Sonoma. Googled it though and it looks like a great place for me to take the family for a camping trip.

Sorry for turning your wakeboard post into a norcal lake post but I appreciate your feedback.